As The World Falls Down
by Phyren Ice
Summary: 18-year-old Emma accidentally wishes away her infant son to the Goblin Queen Regina, who will keep baby Henry as her own if Emma doesn't complete the labyrinth in thirteen hours. Labyrinth/Swan Queen AU crossover story.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hello everyone! This is a story I've been working on for awhile now and I'm so elated to finally be posting it! I did something a little different with this in that I kept some of the original dialogue from the movie. Why? Because I wanted my story to make an intimate connection with the movie yet give it my own flair. Plus the idea of hearing Regina say the same words as Jareth just does things to me. You'll see...it'll happen to you too. This is a completed story (four chapters total) so do not fear this not being finished.  
**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from Once Upon A Time or Labyrinth. Just borrowing them!**

**Happy reading :)**

* * *

_No one can blame you_  
_ For walking away_  
_ Too much rejection_  
_ No love injection_  
_ Life can be easy_  
_ It's not always swell_  
_ Don't tell me truth hurts, little girl_  
_ 'Cause it hurts like hell_

* * *

The screams of a newborn pierced the once quiet night air and a grumble followed by something falling to the floor could be heard in response.

"Alright, alright already," A frustrated voice strained out as a bedside lamp was flicked on, illuminating the tiny, cramped bedroom that housed a portable crib and a futon on opposite walls.

Three-week-old Henry continued to wail as his eighteen-year-old mother scooped him up and cradled him against her chest. Stumbling through the small apartment with the crying child, Emma grabbed a prepared bottle from the fridge before she stuck it in the bottle warmer that sat in the center of the barren, worn-out counter. The electric warmer was a gift from a prison guard before she was released from jail when Henry was just two-days-old. Aside from a few cans of formula, three bottles, the used pack and play that served as his crib, the car seat she received from the hospital, and the bottle warmer, Emma didn't have much else to really provide for the child she was now burdened to care for.

Once the bottle was ready, she stuck it in the hungry child's mouth before she carried Henry over to the french doors that led out to the balcony. The apartment was a complete shit hole, but the balcony was what made the living quarters worth it. The night air was warm as she opened the doors and stepped out, sitting on the single plastic lawn chair that was abandoned there from the previous owner. The city lights of Boston twinkled around her like stars fallen from the sky as the jostling noise of sirens and traffic buzzed along the streets below.

After she was released from prison, she packed up her two boxes of possessions and her son and left for the northeastern city to get as far away from Phoenix as possible. Henry's father had abandoned her months ago and was the very reason that she was sent to prison. She had informed him of the unexpected pregnancy and his response was to hand her a wad of crumpled twenty dollar bills with the demand that she use it to get an abortion. Her response to his forced suggestion was to beat the shit out of him and he ended up pressing charges. Somehow she managed to awarded the money and after her release, she used it to drive across the country and put a down payment on the rundown apartment until she could figure out what to do with her recently altered life.

Henry startled her from her reverie when he spit out the bottle nipple and started crying again. The young mother huffed in frustration as she set the empty bottle down before she brought him to her shoulder and patted his back. A few air bubbles were released, but he continued to rattle her eardrums with his powerful set of lungs.

"Geez kid, stop it already," she snapped as she left the balcony and returned to their bedroom.

He continued to scream as she placed him back in the crib and tucked him in. "How about a story, huh kid? Would that help?"

The newborn didn't answer of course and Emma leaned over the crib and smiled.

"Once upon a time in the Enchanted Forest, there was a beautiful young girl whose wicked mother forced her to marry an old king twice her age. After she became queen, she was required to take care of her stepdaughter who was five years her youth. Her stepdaughter was a spoiled child and she wanted everything for herself. But what no one knew was that the queen was a witch and she had special powers. So one night, when the king and her stepdaughter had been particularly cruel to her, she cast a magic spell upon the kingdom. But what she didn't know was that her wicked mother, who was also a witch, had overheard her plans and changed the words to the spell. 'You didn't say the right words' her mother sneered. 'And for that you must be punished.' The young queen realized too late that the spell she cast was altered and she disappeared from the Enchanted Forest forever.

She found herself in an alternate world and became Queen of the goblins, forever fated to never have a child of her own. She learned that any child wished away to her would become a goblin themselves and so she spent her years brooding in her castle until one day she fell in love with a beautiful young maiden and gave her certain powers. 'Bare me a child,' she said 'say the right words and I will take the child to the Goblin City and free you of its burden.' But the young maiden knew the Goblin Queen would keep the baby because the child was special and would remain human forever and ever. So the maiden suffered in silence until one night, when she was tired and could no longer take the insufferable crying…"

***Bang! Bang! Bang!***

"Shut that goddamn kid up!"

Emma sighed as she picked up Henry and rocked him in her arms as he continued to scream. Every night the neighbor pounded on the wall because of Henry's cries and she didn't know how much more she could take.

"All right, all right already; knock it off," Emma grumbled as she continued to rock and sway the screaming infant. "I wish I did know what words to say to make the Goblin Queen come and take you away."

Lack of sleep and the stress of being a new mother fresh out of prison were starting to take its toll on the teenager. The story she had told Henry was based off of a dream she used to have regularly when she was pregnant with him and now her sleep deprived brain was almost hoping the Goblin Queen was a real person.

"Oh Henry, stop it!" Emma begged the child in desperation.

She put him back to bed and covered him, hoping he would just cry himself to sleep. Turning out the light, the blonde collapsed unto her futon as she ignored the banging on the wall from next door. With a glance to the crib where her son continued to wail, she turned away from him and murmured aloud, "I wish the Goblin Queen would take you away…right now."

As soon as the last two words slipped from her mouth, Henry's cries abruptly halted and an eerie silence fell over the darkened room. Looking back towards the crib, concern started to well up inside the blonde as the infant remained quiet.

"Henry? Henry?" Emma called out as she sat up from her bed and crossed the room. "Henry, are you alright?" The young mother reached the crib's edge and peered down. "Why aren't you crying?"

The room was dark, but the city lights filtered in through the single window, allowing the girl to just make out the rumpled baby blanket on the mattress below. With shaky fingers, she reached down and snagged the material up in her hands, only to find the crib empty.

The young mother gasped in shock as she looked around in fear. Snickers of laughter from various places suddenly filled the room and she whipped her head around frantically to try and see what was lurking in the confined space with her. Running for the light switch, she flicked it several times up and down, but the room remained basked in darkness. Snickering voices continued to taunt her and she quickly scrambled out of the bedroom to try and escape it, but the chorus of laughter only grew in volume until she was forced to clap her hands over her ears. Her back hit the kitchen counter and she jumped in fear when she witnessed the balcony doors fly open in front of her, revealing a lavender smoke that twisted violently until a figure materialized within it and took form. All the noise suddenly ceased and she slowly removed her hands from her ears as she took in the beautiful creature before her.

A beautiful woman in a long, regal dress stood before her as a purple fog swirled around her lithe body until it slowly dissipated into the air. Her lengthy hair was black as night, matching the darkened eyes that glared beneath long lashes. A feathered cape billowed out behind her in an invisible wind before it settled around her heeled boots. The instant magnetism Emma felt towards the woman was intense, but her need to find her son was more pressing.

"You're her, aren't you? You're the Goblin Queen?" Emma managed to say as she gazed upon the woman with a starry-eyed expression.

"Regina," the woman introduced with a slight bow before she sauntered towards the fair-haired woman.

It was then that the young mother noticed the dark leather pants that donned the lower half of the queen under the strips of floor-length skirt before they disappeared into knee high boots. The blonde felt a twinge in her stomach as Regina approached her and she nervously licked her lips as the queen invaded her space.

"Please…I want my son back," Emma pleaded.

"What's said is said," the queen responded in a rich tone.

"Please, tell me where he is?"

"You know very well where he is," she answered in a deep, husky tone.

"Please, Regina…," Emma begged.

"Forget about Henry."

"I can't. Please, I didn't know you were real!"

"Emma; don't defy me. You have no idea what I am capable of," Regina warned as she stepped impossibly closer to the blonde, pleased to see the flustered reaction she had caused the younger woman.

"He's my son. I want him back," Emma stated defiantly.

Regina's hand snapped out and she seized the blonde's upper arm before they disappeared in a purple cloud only to reappear on a hillside in a different world. Emma blinked her eyes in disbelief as she gaped at the huge labyrinth that stood before her. A warm hand suddenly rested on her shoulder before a sultry voice filled her ear. "He's there, in my castle."

The blonde followed the slender finger that pointed out in front of her and she peered at the castle that stood in the middle of the labyrinth.

"It doesn't look that far," Emma countered bravely.

"It's further than you think," Regina purred, sending shivers down the younger woman's spine before she withdrew from the teenager and took a step back. "You have thirteen hours in which to solve the labyrinth before your son Henry becomes my child…forever."

Emma watched as the queen vanished in a plume of smoke, leaving her alone on a hillside in a world she knew nothing about. Contemplating whether it was even worth the risk to enter the complicated labyrinth, she thought of Henry and sighed heavily as she knew she had to at least try.

Walking down the winding path that led to the imposing stone wall that guarded the colossal maze, she was surprised to encounter a short man resting against a water fountain as he loudly snored. Seeing no one else around, she approached his side and cleared her throat.

"Excuse me?" Emma called out.

The man snorted as he blinked his bloodshot eyes open and looked around. "Who's there?" His gaze focused on the girl before him and he scoffed before he closed his eyes once more. "Oh, it's just you."

"Can you help me get through this labyrinth?"

The dozing man growled as he opened his eyes again and reluctantly got to his feet. Reaching for the flask on his hip, he took a quick swig and gargled with it before he spit it out in the fountain.

"I was having a pretty decent dream before you came along," he snapped as he picked up an unlabeled aerosol can by his feet and walked over to the flowers along the towering wall.

It was then that the blonde woman noticed the little flying creatures that hovered over the plant life. Shaking the can, the dwarf held it out and sprayed it on one of the fairies. A tiny cry was heard before the fairy dropped to the ground.

"Fifty-seven!"

"How could you?" Emma questioned in horror as she ran over and carefully scooped the fairy up into her palm.

"My life is forever ruined because of those meddling insects."

"You're a monster…ouch!" She cried out as she dropped the tiny creature. "It bit me."

"What did you expect fairies to do?"

"I thought they did nice things like granting wishes and being godmothers."

"Shows what you know," he scoffed before he sprayed another one. "Fifty-eight!"

"What did they ever do to you?" Emma pressed.

"What do you care, sister?"

"I'm just asking."

"Well I'm not answering…fifty-nine!"

"Why are you so grouchy?"

"I'm not grouchy, I'm Grumpy."

"Seriously?!" Emma scoffed before she blew out an exasperated breath. "Look, do you know where the door to the labyrinth is?"

Grumpy shrugged. "Maybe."

"Well, where is it?"

"Where is what?"

"The door!" Emma shouted in frustration.

"What door?"

"Oh for the love of God…"

"Ask the right question and you might get the answer you seek," Grumpy offered before he sprayed another fairy. "Sixty! Woo hoo!"

"How do I get into the labyrinth?"

"Ah, now that's more like it, sister," Grumpy stated as he pointed to the wall. "You get in through there."

The young woman watched as two menacing doors that weren't there a minute ago slowly swung open.

"You're really going in there?"

"I have to," Emma answered as she cautiously entered the maze.

Looking both ways, the blonde was surprised to see it go on indefinitely. Her brow furrowed deeply as she tried to decide which path to take.

"Cozy, isn't it?" Grumpy asked as he startled the younger woman. "So are you going to go left or right?"

"They both look the same," Emma muttered.

"Well you're not going to get very far."

"Which way would you go?" she challenged.

"Me? I wouldn't go either way," Grumpy answered. "I'm stuck in this hell hole for all eternity thanks to an overzealous fairy. So believe me sister, if I had a choice, I'd choose not to be here at all."

"Thanks for nothing, Grubbles," Emma quipped before she moved towards the left path.

"Argh! It's Grumpy," he corrected before he called after her, "Keep in mind that even if you do make it to the center of the labyrinth, you'll never make it out again!"

Emma ignored the bundle of angry dwarf as she continued to walk down the stone corridor. She heard the doors slam shut behind her and wasn't surprised to see that Grumpy had left her to fend for herself.

"Guess I'm on my own," she mumbled.

* * *

Minutes turned into hours as she walked persistently along the never-ending straightaway of imposing walls. Nothing changed the entire time she followed the monotonous path and her temper grew shorter and shorter with each step until she stopped walking and screamed out in anger.

"What the hell kind of labyrinth is this?! There are no turns or corners or anything!"

Emma kicked and punched the wall a few times until she slid down the surface in a slump. Leaning back against the cool stone, she tried to will herself to calm down, but she was starting to feel hopeless in getting to her son before time ran out.

"Hello there," a small voice to her right greeted.

Looking down, Emma was surprised to see a cricket dressed in Victorian clothing.

"Did you just say hello?" Emma asked as she suddenly felt stupid for thinking the bug could talk.

"I did indeed," he answered. "The name is Jiminy."

Recovering from her shock that the cricket was in fact speaking, she cleared her throat and questioned, "You wouldn't happen to know the way through this labyrinth, would you?"

"No, I'm just a cricket," Jiminy replied.

"I'm stuck," the blonde confessed as she dropped her head back. "There aren't any turns or openings or anything. It just goes on and on."

"Well now, that is a problem I can assist with," the cricket cheered. "There are openings everywhere; you just have to know where to look."

Emma leered down at the bug and growled, "What are you talking about? I haven't seen any openings anywhere!"

Jiminy pointed his tiny closed umbrella to the wall across from them. "There's an opening right there."

"No there isn't."

"Things aren't always what they seem here, so you can't take anything for granted," Jiminy explained.

Emma got to her feet and carefully approached the opposite wall with her hands held out in front of her. She was starting to think she was stupid for trusting a talking cricket when she realized she didn't make contact with the wall like she expected to. The blonde shrieked in surprise as she continued stepping forward until she did hit the wall and turned to see a portal to another part of the maze.

"Thanks Jiminy!" the blonde called out before she stepped through the secret passageway and disappeared.

She blinked against the harsh sunlight as she focused on the tall, square-shaped hedges that surrounded her, giving her a clear indication that she was definitely located inside the labyrinth. Picking a path, she had started to walk when she heard the cries of her newborn son suddenly punch through the air. Looking up towards the imposing castle that seemed hundreds of miles away, she frowned.

"I'm coming Henry," Emma murmured before she strode with more purpose through the maze.

* * *

The infant howled as the goblins took turns holding him while Regina sat in her throne with a scowl etched into her features as she tapped a riding crop against her booted foot. She had changed into a more comfortable outfit, sporting a white bloused shirt adorned with a leather vest and tight grey pants that slipped into lengthy black boots. Her dark hair was pulled up into a high ponytail as the long tresses hung over one shoulder and down to her waist.

Years of watching children turn into goblins before her very eyes, children she was only blessed to love for a brief moment of time, had slowly hardened the queen's heart until she felt she had no more love to give. Her physical appearance was that of a twenty-five year old, but her mind belonged to someone much older; someone who lived through decades of heartache, fear, and abandonment. She never thought the time would come for the chosen one, the one child who would remain human, and yet here he was in her castle and she didn't know what to do with him. She remained rooted to her chair while the goblins passed the infant around as she tried to process on how to love again, but the more Henry cried, the more she felt the need to comfort the child until at last she couldn't take it anymore.

"Enough!" The queen bellowed out before she marched off her throne and took the howling baby from the frightened goblin that held him.

The minute Regina scooped Henry up into her arms, he immediately settled down and stopped crying. Unfocused hazel eyes gazed in the direction of her face and the brunette couldn't help but smile as she carried him over to the throne and returned to her seat. Her heart swelled for the child and the fear of not being able to love him seemed to vanish as she held him close. Looking up towards the imposing clock on the wall, she couldn't help but grin in anticipation.

"In nine hours and twenty-three minutes, you'll be mine," Regina cooed as she traced a finger down Henry's soft cheek.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Thank you for the lovely reviews! **

* * *

Emma was starting to think she was making a giant circle as landmarks and shrubs looked eerily similar to the ones she had passed before. The midday sun blazed heavily down upon her weary body, causing sweat to dot along her hairline as she trudged on. Fatigue crept in at an alarming rate and she realized with sudden clarity just how tired she really was. Looking around for a place to take a small rest, she spotted a bench peeking out from behind a wall and quickly made her way over to it.

Time was running out quicker than she had anticipated and she felt no closer to finding her son than she did when she first entered the labyrinth. Scrubbing her palms over her face before she rested her head in her hands, the teenager felt herself start to drift off when a voice suddenly called out her name.

"Emma?"

Startled, the blonde peeking through her fingers and was shocked to find two tall mirrors in front of her with a man dressed in strange garb standing inside one of them.

"Am I right that your name is Emma?"

"Yes," she answered as she pulled her hands away and stood up.

"I'm Sidney."

She furrowed her brows in confusion as she gazed upon the mirrors. "This was a dead end a moment ago."

"Actually, the dead end is behind you."

Emma whipped her head around and sure enough, there was a wall.

"Damn it! No wonder why I feel like I'm walking in circles. This place keeps changing," Emma cursed.

"The only way out is through one of these mirrors," Sidney indicated. "One of them leads straight to the castle and the other one leads to certain death."

"Well, which one is which?"

"I haven't the faintest idea," Sidney answered.

"So how do I choose?"

"You have to pick one."

"Well thank you captain obvious," Emma scowled.

"I'm not a captain, I'm a genie."

"Then why are you in the mirror? Shouldn't you be in a lamp or something?"

"This was my punishment when Cora banished me here," Sidney explained solemnly.

The teenager cautiously approached the mirror that the genie stood in. "How do I enter?"

"Just walk into the mirror," he instructed.

"Well I pick this one," the blonde declared. "Can you move so I can go through?"

Sidney blinked out and reappeared in the other mirror. "Good luck."

The young woman rolled her eyes before she pushed her hands against the looking glass. Like a thick, reflective pudding, her hands went through and disappeared before the rest of her body followed suit. The other side was bathed in darkness, but she felt no indications of immediate danger.

"Well that wasn't so ba…aah!" Emma screamed out as her feet slipped out from under her and she slid along what seemed to be an enclosed chute.

Further and further she slid until she felt the floor disappear from beneath her. Her body fell through the air for a few feet before she landed on something soft. It felt like a mattress beneath her, but she couldn't be positive as there was no light coming from anywhere. Too afraid to move off the soft surface into the unknown, Emma pulled her knees up and sat there unmoving as adrenaline refueled her previously exhausted body.

"She's in the oubliette," Regina declared as she gazed upon Emma's form in her mirror on the wall. "She shouldn't have made it this far."

Henry stretched in her arms and she paused, hoping she didn't wake him up. Tiny arms jerked in uncoordinated movements until he eventually settled back down. Regina tucked the blue blanket she had provided him with tighter around his body before she returned her attention to the mirror.

"Sidney," Regina called softly and the genie appeared before her. "Have the dwarf collect her and lead her back to the beginning."

"My queen?" Sidney questioned in confusion.

"If she sees that she has to start all over again, she'll give up and then little Henry will be mine," Regina clarified.

The genie smiled in understanding and he gave a small bow before he disappeared.

"Who's there?" Emma demanded when she heard something move around somewhere close by.

"It's just me, sister," Grumpy greeted as he flicked a lighter and lit a candle.

The blonde squinted against the sudden brightness and she blinked her eyes until they adjusted to her surroundings. She noted that the room was small with no windows as it housed only the bed that she currently occupied, a weathered rug, and a wooden chair.

"Where am I?"

Grumpy kicked the rug to the side before pulling up a hidden trap door.

"This is what's known as an oubliette. The labyrinth is full of them."

"What's an oubliette?"

"A place to put people to forget why they came here in the first place," the dwarf explained as he opened the door and revealed a dark hallway. "Let's get you outta here. I know a short cut out of the labyrinth."

"What? No, I'm not leaving now. She still has my son!" Emma argued as she crossed her arms.

"It gets a lot worse from here on out; trust me," he answered.

"Why do you care so much?"

"I don't it's just, you're this nice young girl and this is only the start of the queen's wrath," he explained.

"I can handle her."

"Of course you can. Now come along, sister."

"No way! How do I know you aren't taking me back to the beginning?"

Grumpy ginned mischievously. "You don't."

As he turned to walk through the trap door, Emma noticed a leather satchel hanging from the dwarf's waist. Hoping it was something of value, she quickly reached out and snatched it from his belt.

"Hey!" he shouted as she held it out of reach. "Give that back!"

"Not until you help me get to the castle," Emma explained as she held the dwarf at bay with a hand to his head.

"I can't do that!"

"Why not?"

"Because no one disobeys the queen! Now give that back!"

"Take me as far as you can and I'll do the rest on my own. Can you do that much for me?" she offered.

Grumpy paused in his antics before he growled, "Fine, but I ain't makin no promises. Just be careful with that, will ya."

Emma twisted the bag with a raised brow. "What's in it?"

"Fairy dust that belonged to my beloved…before she was taken from me," he answered before he lowered his eyes. "That's all I have left of her."

The young woman felt a pang of guilt for stealing it, but her son was more important. "I promise I'll be careful."

"Let's go then."

As they entered the dark hallway below, voices started to drift towards them. The words were hard to understand, but the desperation behind each voice rang loud and clear.

"What is that?" Emma questioned.

"You'll see," the dwarf answered as they continued down the corridor.

The disembodied voices grew louder until they rounded a corner and the young woman got her first glance at who was calling out. Crude prison cells lined up each side of the long corridor as various creatures and people within whispered and called out with desperate pleas of warning.

"Don't go on!" "Go back while you still can!" "This is not the way." Take heed, and go no further!" "Beware! Beware!" "Soon it will be too late!"

"Just ignore them," the dwarf instructed as the imprisoned people continued to call out. "They're just false alarms."

"False alarms?"

"Their hearts had been taken and they're programmed to throw out these false warnings, especially when you're on the right track."

"Oh no, you're not!" An ogre shouted between the bars.

"Shut up!" Grumpy yelled back before they rounded another corner and encountered a dead end.

Moving a small rock on the ground, he pressed a hidden button and the wall slid away to reveal a brick-lined tunnel with torch lights spaced out evenly along the walls.

They barely took a step into the corridor when a boy and girl suddenly appeared out of nowhere, causing Emma and Grumpy to jump back at their intrusion.

"I'm Hansel and this is Gretel," the boy introduced. "Where are you going?"

"To the castle," Emma answered.

"Really? I thought you were heading back?" Hansel questioned sweetly.

Grumpy swallowed audibly as he took a step back from the two children. "The young woman was surely mistaken. We are heading back to the beginning."

"What?!" the blonde barked in anger before she realized the dwarf's sudden reason for backtracking.

Familiar purple smoke swirled around the children before it cleared away to reveal the goblin queen in their wake.

"Your Majesty! What a pleasant surprise," the dwarf stammered as he bowed.

"Tell me Grumpy, are you helping this girl?" Regina interrogated as she approached the cowering man with a menacing glare.

"H-h-helping, in what sense?"

"In the sense that you are leading her straight to my castle," Regina replied in a sharp tone.

"N-no Your Majesty, I only told her I would help her when in fact I was taking her back to the beginning, just like we agreed," Grumpy explained.

Regina bent over to be eye level with the smaller man before she stated, "If I thought for one second that you were betraying me, I'd be force to toss you into the River of Hearts."

"No, Your Majesty!" Grumpy begged.

"Oh yes, Grumpy," she said in a threatening tone before she turned to the younger woman who had remained quiet this whole time. "And you Emma…how are you enjoying my labyrinth?"

Dark orbs sparked with hidden amusement as she sauntered into the blonde's personal space, causing a visible flush to paint Emma's cheeks.

The young mother refused to show any weakness to the beautiful queen, so she shrugged nonchalantly before she quipped, "It's a piece of cake."

"Oh it is, is it?" Regina purred in a sultry tone as she pinned the blonde against the nearby wall. "Then how about upping the stakes?"

"Alright," Emma agreed hesitantly.

"If you manage to reach my castle before the thirteenth hour, I will return your son and grant you one wish of anything you desire," the queen offered as she rested her hand on the wall beside the blonde's head. "However, if you fail to make it to my castle in time, you and Henry must stay here with me for the rest of your lives. Do we have a deal?"

Her heart pounded wildly in her chest at the queen's proximity and she bristled with the thought that Regina was purposely trying to provoke her into submission. Emerald eyes locked on russet orbs before Emma took a hearty breath and gave the answer that she was sure the older woman wasn't expecting.

"Yes."

Regina flashed a surprised grin before she withdrew from the younger woman and turned her back on her. "So my labyrinth is a piece of cake, is it?" she questioned before she turned back to Emma with a challenging glint to her eyes. "Let's see how you deal with this slice then."

The blonde watched in concern as a glowing ball of fire appear in the queen's hand before she tossed it down the darkened tunnel and disappeared. Regina gave a dark chuckle before she vanished in a cloud of purple smoke.

"Boy you really got her attention," Grumpy quipped as he stared down the long tunnel. "We need to get out of here. Now!"

"Why? What was that fireball?" Emma questioned as the dwarf grabbed her hand and dragged her in the opposite direction.

Before he could answer, a sudden whirring noise was heard. They both looked back only to regret the action as they witnessed a giant spinning blade making its way down the corridor as it headed right for them.

"Run!" Grumpy shouted as they both took off in a sprint.

The blades sounded closer, but neither dared to venture a backwards glance. Emma was beginning to think they were out of options when a small alcove with a door appeared ahead.

"Head for that door!" Grumpy ordered.

They both crashed into the alcove and the weight of their bodies caused the door to burst open. They quickly scampered in and ran a short distance before they risked a peek at the hallway they had just escaped. The sound of the blade was gone even though it never passed by the open doorway.

"Where did it go?" the young woman questioned.

"Nowhere; it's still there just waiting for you to step back out again," the dwarf indicated. "Come on. There should be a ladder over here somewhere."

The duo didn't have to travel far to reach the ladder that Grumpy had mentioned, but Emma was intimidated by how the fragile climbing equipment appeared to go on forever before it disappeared from view.

"Follow me," Grumpy directed as he started up the ladder.

"How can I trust you? You told the queen that you were taking me back to the beginning," Emma accused.

"I only said that to her to throw her off the trail," the dwarf explained as he continued to climb up. "She scares the hell outta me."

"How can I believe you?"

Grumpy paused before he looked down. "What choice have you got, sister? Besides, you still have my pouch that you stole."

Emma sighed before she grabbed the bottom rung. "You're right."

The climb seemed to take hours and the blonde was worried that it cost her too much time. She was about to ask how much further when the dwarf hit something metallic before he scraped it to the side and allowed daylight to pour in. They eagerly climbed out and breathed in the fresh air, thankful to be out from the underground. Emma took note that they were still in the labyrinth, but the castle did appear to be closer.

"Here," Emma said as she handed the leather pouch back over to the dwarf. "Thanks for helping me out of there."

"Don't mention it," Grumpy responded as he carefully retied the satchel to his belt. "We should get moving."

"You don't have to help me anymore," the blonde pointed out.

"I kinda got a soft spot for ya, sister," Grumpy replied. "Besides, I offered to take you as far as I can."

The young woman held out her hand. "Friends, then?"

He eyed her hand for a moment before he shook it and smiled. "Friends."

The sudden clamor of singing could be heard nearby and curiosity got the better of the blonde as she dragged the dwarf behind her to find the source of it. After a couple of turns to the left and a few to the right, Emma was surprised to see a handsome man with a tall hat that housed a scraggly-looking rabbit that was hanging out of it while he held a cup of tea in his hand. The man was seated at a small table that was stacked with various shapes and sizes of tea cups and teapots as the two belted out in song without a care in the world.

"A very merry unbirthday to me!"

"To who?"

"To me!" The rabbit answered as he bounced in the man's hat with a tea cup raised. "A very merry unbir..."

"Excuse me?" Emma interrupted. "Can you help me?"

The man and rabbit froze as they glared at their two intruders.

"It's very rude to interrupt the March Hare when he is singing! Don't you know that it's bad luck?" The man stated as he stood from the table and approached Emma.

"I'm very sorry, but I'm running out of time," she explained.

"There is always time for tea," the crazed rabbit stated as he pulled out another cup from within the hat and sipped it.

"But I didn't…nevermind. I need to get to the castle in the center of the labyrinth. Do you know the way?"

"Do I know the way; of course I know the way, young lady," he bellowed out before he removed his hat and bowed. "The name is Jefferson."

Emma was stunned that the March Hare remained seated on his head as he continued to sip at his tea before he was once again housed in Jefferson's hat when he replaced it.

"I'm Emma and this is Grumpy," She quickly introduced before she smiled. "So which way is it?"

"Is what?"

"The castle?"

"What castle?"

"The one in the center of the labyrinth!" Emma shouted in frustration.

"Oh that castle," Jefferson realized before he raised a brow. "What about it?"

"How do I get to it?"

"To what?" he answered before he took his seat again.

Emma growled as she yanked at her hair. "You said you knew the way to the castle in the center of the labyrinth!"

"I do," he answered before he picked up one of the various cups and sipped on it. "Would you like some tea?"

The blonde slammed her palm against her face as Grumpy rolled his eyes.

"Let's go, sister. He's of no help to us," the dwarf scoffed as he turned and walked away.

"Thanks for nothing, Jefferson," Emma grumbled before she trotted to catch up with the fast moving dwarf.

The two walked along the stone path until it turned into a beautiful garden. Trimmed hedges made up the walls as pebbles created the walking paths. They were about to turn a corner when a booming voice suddenly roared out.

"What was that?" Emma wondered.

"I don't know, but I'm outta here," Grumpy said as he turned on his heel and ran.

"Hey! Come back here you coward!" she shouted after the dwarf, but he disappeared around one of the hedges and was gone. "Well, I'm not afraid."

Another roar sounded and Emma gathered her strength before she purposely rounded the corner to encounter whatever creature was on the other side.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Thank you for the favs, follows, reviews, and private messages! I really enjoyed writing this and twisting the two worlds together, but sadly the next chapter is the last one. I never realized how short the movie was until I started to write this :P **

**Happy reading :)**

* * *

Emma was surprised to see that the thunderous sounds were coming from a giant, well sort of giant as he wasn't all that big, while he was being staked to the ground by a handful of taunting goblins.

"If only I had something to throw at these morons…," Emma stated as she searched around for a rock or anything useful to throw, but she came up empty-handed.

Looking up, her eyes caught the scared gaze of the tethered giant before he started to mutter something in a foreign language.

"Fabam magicae te accerso, fabam magicae te accerso," he repeated over and over.

"Stop blabbering you sasquatch!" a goblin scolded before he kicked the giant in the leg. "I said stop it!"

Emma wasn't sure what the giant was doing until she heard an odd noise beside her. Looking down, she was surprised to find a pile of translucent beans.

"I know these weren't here a moment ago," she mumbled under her breath as she scooped them up into her palm.

The giant caught her gaze once more and he nodded before he looked purposely at the goblins. Understanding his silent gesture, she tossed a bean and hit the nearest goblin on the shoulder. Emma gasped in surprise when right before her very eyes he turned into a potted plant.

Wasting no time, she started tossing the beans, one after the other, laughing in delight when the goblins were transformed into various items, ranging from a simple house plant to an overweight groundhog.

"Retreat! Retreat!" one of them shouted as they scrambled to get away.

Emma waited until all of the goblins were gone before she ran over to the over-sized man and started to untie him.

"Thank you so much," the giant praised.

"No problem. I'm Emma," she greeted.

"Anton, but my family used to call me Tiny because I'm the smallest in my family," he said before he got to his feet.

Emma glanced up and noted that the top of her head had just about reached his hip. She supposed he should've been much taller than what he was, especially given the inherited nickname, but she appreciated the shortened height.

"You wouldn't happen to know the way to the castle, would you?"

Tiny shook his head solemnly. "No, sorry. I just arrived here two days ago and I've been running away from the goblins ever since. Cora banished me here because I wouldn't give her any magic beans. Little did she know that I brought the beans with me, insuring that she'll never get her hands on them."

"Pretty neat trick you did, calling them like that."

Anton shrugged. "Yeah, it's an old family dialect to call upon the beans. It's how we protected them from greedy people for several centuries."

"Well it was nice to meet you, Tiny, but I need to find my way to the castle and quickly; the queen has my son and if I don't get there soon, I'll be trapped here forever."

"Allow me to help you on this quest. It's the least I can do for your help in freeing me today," Anton offered.

Emma smiled up at him. "Thanks, that'd be great."

* * *

Walking side by side, the giant's height came in handy for Emma since he could see over most of the walls and hedges. They were making good time and distance when a familiar singing reached her ears, causing her to audibly groan.

"What is it?" Tiny asked as he tried to peer over the tall wall that blocked his view.

"Mad Jefferson and his scrappy rabbit," Emma answered before they turned the corner.

"Greetings fair maiden!" Jefferson stated as he removed his hat and bowed. "The queen has asked for my assistance and I am here to honor it."

"What does she want from me this time?"

Jefferson only smiled before he flicked his wrist, sending his hat spinning to the ground. The March Hare hopped down to stand beside Emma before he muttered, "Tick tock, time is short; make a choice and pick a door."

"I think you need to lay off the caffeine," Emma lectured before her eyes widened at the sight of the growing hat before her. "What in the world is going on? Why is your hat doing that?"

Emma didn't see how or when, but somehow Jefferson and the crazed rabbit were behind her and Anton. She was so intently focused on the spinning vortex in front of her that she was completely thrown off guard when she felt a hard shove to her back. Losing her balance, she grabbed onto Anton's pant leg, but the poor giant was also tumbling into the spinning hat with her. With a panicked cry, they both fell down into the swirling blackness until they landed with a hard thump upon a black and white checkered floor.

"I really hate that guy," Emma growled before she got to her feet and looked around.

They were in a vacant square room that only housed two wooden doors that sat opposite of each other. She wasted no time in approaching one of the doors and turning the handle, but the door was locked. Going to the opposing door, she tried that one as well, but found it was also secured. She knelt down and peered at the keyhole to see if she could jimmy it somehow when a booming voice startled her.

"It's very rude to stare!"

Emma stumbled back, surprised to see that it was the door knob that was speaking to her as he blinked narrowed eyes in her direction.

"I'm sorry, I was just trying to figure out how to get your door open," Emma answered.

"You need a key," the opposing knob answered her.

Turning to look at the other door she asked, "What key? There are no keys."

"They're on the table."

Emma was about to ask what table when she noticed a glass table in the corner of the room with a golden key upon it.

"That wasn't there before," she indicated as she approached the table and retrieved the single key. "Whose door does this key belong to?"

"Both of us will open with that key, but you can only choose one of us."

"Where do these doors lead to?" Emma asked.

"Beats us; we're just the door knobs."

Emma huffed as she glanced between the two doors before she turned to Anton. "Which one should I choose, Tiny?"

"I have a feeling it doesn't matter which one you choose because both will have something terrible behind them."

"Oh don't be so dramatic," Emma reprimanded before she picked a door and stuck the key in its mouth. "Sorry."

"Hmppfjgh," the knob replied with glaring eyes.

"He'll get over it," the other door answered.

Emma turned the key and popped open the door to find a forest on the other side. Stepping through, she forgot that Anton might be too big and she turned back to witness the door grow to accommodate his large size. As soon as they were through, the door slammed shut, leaving them together in the thick forest.

"Come on, Tiny; let's see if we can find our way back to the labyrinth."

* * *

The forest seemed to go on forever and the duo continued their hike in companionable silence until Emma realized at one point that Anton was being overly quiet.

"For a big guy, you sure are as quiet as a mouse," Emma teased before she frowned when she didn't receive an answer. "Tiny?"

Looking behind her, she realized her traveling companion was gone. "Tiny? Where are you? Anton?!"

Spinning in a circle, she was frightened to see nothing familiar nearby or any giant to be seen. Out of desperation, she cried out for someone she had hoped would hear her. "Grumpy! Help me, Grumpy! Please, I need your help!"

Little did she know, Grumpy happened to be sulking along the edge of the forest. He felt horrible for leaving her the way he did so he was backtracking through the labyrinth when he lost her. He was starting to lose hope of ever finding her until he heard her cries for help.

"I'm coming, sister!" he yelled more to himself as he quickly got to his feet.

"And where do you think you're going?" A sultry voice questioned as Regina suddenly appeared behind the dwarf.

Grumpy cringed when he heard her speak before he plastered on a smile and turned to face her.

"Emma gave me the slip, but I heard the young girl calling out for me just now so I was on my way to retrieve her in order to take her back to the beginning, just like we planned."

Regina sauntered forward and Grumpy momentarily gawked at the beautiful queen before he masked his features and stood frozen in place.

"For a moment there, I thought you were running to _help_ her," Regina purred as she leaned over and cupped his cheek affectionately.

"W-Why would I do that?"

Regina eyed the little man for a moment before she straightened up and walked a few paces away before turning back. "Forget about returning her to the beginning. I have a much better plan."

Grumpy watched as a shiny red apple appeared in Regina's hand before she tossed it to him.

"Give her that," she ordered.

"Will it hurt her?" Grumpy questioned softly as he eyed the fruit in his hand.

"Why the concern? Do have feelings for her?"

"No, but I won't harm her," Grumpy declared with a scowl.

She stepped into his space and grabbed his ear in a harsh grip.

"You will give her that apple or so help me I will hand you over to the Siren of the river," Regina warned before she shoved the dwarf away from her.

Grumpy frowned as he placed the fruit inside a pouch along his belt.

"Oh, and one other thing; if she ever kisses you, I'll turn you into a prince," Regina informed him with a half smirk before she raised her hands dramatically. "Prince of the River of Hearts!"

A shiver ran down his spine at the thought of the river before he turned and ran from the laughing queen.

* * *

Emma walked aimlessly through the woods, but nothing changed; every tree looked the same as the one before it and nothing gave her any indication as to whether she was closer or further from the castle.

"Grumpy! Tiny!" she shouted out once more.

A twig snapped to her right and she momentarily froze until she summoned the courage to glance over to where she heard the noise. Surprise etched her features as she observed a scaly green man dancing around a roaring fire and singing an unfamiliar song. Seeming to sense her presence, the imp paused in his antics and turned to face her with a malicious grin.

"Hello dearie," he greeted. "The queen has waited a long time for you. Then again, her time of waiting still hasn't reached its end."

"Who are you?" Emma asked as she stepped closer.

"I could ask you the same question," he sneered before he bowed. "The name is Rumplestiltskin."

"Can you help me out of these woods?"

"That all depends on what you can offer me."

"I don't understand."

"A price, dearie!" he quipped as he dramatically threw a hand up in the air. "Nothing is free."

"You want to make a deal? Is that what you're asking?"

"Precisely," he answered before he tapped his fingers together. "I will tell you the way out of the forest in exchange for a lock of your hair."

Emma grabbed her blonde tresses in protection. "My hair? What do you want with my hair?"

"What does it matter?"

Something inside her told her not to trust this creature and she slowly backed away. "No; no deal."

"Why not? I only need a few strands," he indicated as he took a menacing step towards her.

Before she could answer, a puff of smoke appeared beside her and in its wake Grumpy had appeared.

"Time to go, sister," Grumpy stated before he grabbed Emma's arm and threw another handful of fairy dust on the ground.

The pair disappeared from the forest only to reappear in the labyrinth. Emma looked around in happiness before she turned to Grumpy.

"You saved me! Thank you!"

"I couldn't leave you to fend for yourself against Rumplestiltskin. The imp is downright creepy."

Emma observed him toss his now empty satchel of fairy dust to the ground and she frowned. "You used your beloved's magic dust in order to help me?"

Grumpy shrugged as he scuffed his foot against the ground. "I don't need any stupid dust to remember her. She'll always be in my heart."

"Grumpy," Emma started before she leaned down. "Thank you."

She pecked his cheek with a kiss and he howled in response before he stumbled backwards. "Why'd you do that?!"

"It's just a kis…aah!"

The floor fell out from under them and they slide down a darkened chute. Both Grumpy and Emma screamed out in fear as they tumbled deeper and deeper until a light appeared ahead of them and they shot out of the tube before landing upon something soft.

"Ouch!" Grumpy cried out as he sat up and held his head.

Emma did the same and turned to see what they had landed on. Her eyes widened in relief when she realized it was Anton.

"Tiny! You're okay!" Emma greeted before she hugged his leg.

"I was until you two landed on me," he teased.

"Where are we?" Emma questioned as she realized they were on the embankment of a dark river. "And what is that noise?"

"Hearts," Grumpy answered as he regarded the water with frightened eyes. "This is the River of Hearts."

"You mean those are actual hearts we hear beating?"

"Yes; the river is guarded by a Siren. You so much as put on toe in that water and she'll appear before you can even blink and rip out your heart," Grumpy explained as they carefully started to walk along the embankment. "By placing the heart in the river, it gives Regina full control over that person, turning them into a puppet show to do as she pleases."

"Like those people in the underground prison cell who warned us not to go on?"

"Yes," Grumpy answered. "I'm one of the few that managed to keep their heart so far. There should be a bridge up here, but it's guarded so we'll have to hope that he'll let us pass."

"Don't worry about anyone causing problems," Anton said with a smile. "I'm sure I can take them on."

Grumpy looked up at the giant and snorted, "If you say so."

* * *

The hearts pounded out in a chaotic rhythm as the trio continued along. Emma couldn't help herself from glancing over at the pulsing river when suddenly she tripped over a tree root, causing her to stumble towards the water's edge.

"Emma!" Grumpy bellowed out in panic as he watched her fall forward in what seemed like slow motion.

Just as her body would've impacted with the inky surface, Anton reached out and plucked her up by the back of her shirt. She dangled in the air for a few seconds before he set her back on her feet a safe distance away from the river's edge.

"Thanks, Tiny," Emma exhaled as she tried to slow her heart rate.

"You foolish girl! You need to be more careful!" Grumpy chided in an angered tone.

"Easy there or I'll start to think that you actually care about me," Emma teased.

Before Grumpy could answer, a beautiful woman in all her naked glory broke through the still surface of the river and stood in the middle of it. Water cascaded down her accentuated curves as her red hair dangled in soft curls all the way down to her waist. She flashed a rueful smile towards Emma as she ignored the tongue-tied dwarf and giant beside her.

"So close, Emma," she purred as she sauntered forward. "I almost had you."

"You must be the Siren of the river," Emma stammered out as she tried to keep her wits about her.

"Ariel," the woman introduced in a silky tone.

"Nice to meet you, Ariel, but we really must be on our way," Emma offered as she started to push the muted men forward.

"Emma, do I not please you?" Ariel questioned before she cupped a handful of water and sprinkled it over her head. "Would you prefer I looked like this?" The trio watched in stunned silence as the siren's image shifted to that of the Goblin Queen. "Does my image please you now, Emma?"

Emma's jaw unhinged as her cheeks burned crimson. "Why would I want you to look like Regina? She isn't my type," Emma lied as she tried to ignore her Grumpy's accusing glare.

Ariel chuckled before she said, "Oh Emma, you can try and deny it all you like, but I can see into your heart."

"You're not Regina; you are Ariel and we are leaving," Emma suddenly snapped before she stomped away from the river and continued down the embankment.

Anton and Grumpy gawked at the scowling Siren before she disappeared beneath the water's surface.

"That was amazing!" Grumpy cheered as he caught up to Emma. "I don't think anyone has ever walked away from the Siren of the river."

Emma shrugged nonchalantly before she pointed ahead. "Is that the bridge?"

Grumpy followed her outstretched finger and nodded. "That's it sister, let's go!"

They trotted over to the bridge and paused. No one appeared to be guarding it and there didn't seem to be any booby traps or alarms.

"I thought you said it was guarded?" Tiny questioned as he looked around.

"It is," Grumpy snapped in response. "Or at least it was."

"This is ridiculous; I'm going across," Emma quipped as she started to cross the bridge.

A snarl echoed off the nearby trees before a wolf jumped onto the overpass and landed in front of Emma. Her feet froze solid to the bridge as the snarling animal approached her in careful strides. Emma's whole body quaked with fear as she noticed the wolf was much larger than the average wild canine, but more disturbing was the one red eye that seemed to stare straight into her soul.

"Red!" A voice shouted out before a man slipped down from a nearby tree. "Leave her be, Red."

Emma watched in relief as the wolf stopped its approach and turned, trotting over to the rugged man before standing beside him.

"Thank you," Emma stated.

"Sorry about that. I'm Graham, guardian of this bridge and this here is Red, my faithful sidekick," he introduced as he scratched the wolf's head affectionately.

"It's very nice to meet you, but we must be going," Emma indicated before she started to move forward.

"Halt! No one may cross this bridge without my permission," Graham stated as he marched to stand in front of the Grumpy, Emma, and Anton. "It is my duty to protect this bridge, by orders of the queen."

"Look, I don't have time for this. I only have so much time to reach the castle so please, move out of my way," Emma argued before she made a move to pass around the guard.

"Stop, I say!" he ordered before he grabbed Emma's arm in a tight grip.

"Let her go!" Anton ordered as he charged up to the man and his snarling wolf. "Let her go or so help me I'll…"

"You'll what?! Kill me? Punish me?" Graham challenged as he stood toe to giant toe with Anton. "There is nothing more you can do than what has already been done to me."

"You're one of _those_ people, a person with no heart," Grumpy indicated with a shake of his finger. "So no matter what we say, you can't let us pass unless the queen permits it."

"That is not true. I have been ordered to protect this bridge and no one may pass without my permission, not the queen's."

"Well, do we have your permission?" Emma asked.

"Pardon me?"

"You said no one may pass without your permission, so do we have your permission?" Emma repeated.

Graham looked down at the wolf before he met Emma's blue-green eyes and shrugged. "Yes?"

"Thank you," Emma breathed out before Grumpy and Anton followed her over the bridge and to the other side of the river.

"We should reach the castle within a few hours," Grumpy indicated as he pointed to the towering structure in the distance.

"Let's hope so," Emma responded.

* * *

Regina stood before her mirror as she watched Emma and her two companions make their along the other side of the River of Hearts. Henry was nestled safely in her arms as he drank from the offered bottle that she held up for him. Her body rhythmically swayed side to side as she continued to gaze into her looking glass.

"So much trouble over such a little thing," Regina murmured as she glanced down at Henry. "But that will all change when Grumpy gives Emma my present. Soon she'll forget all about you my darling, and then both of you will be mine, forever."

* * *

Emma sighed heavily as she forced her tired feet to continue. She was starving to the point that she felt nauseous and she didn't know how much further she could push herself before her body would just give out. A loud rumble from beside her had her looking up at Tiny and he gave a sheepish smile in answer.

"I'm hungry," he offered.

"Me too," Emma agreed. "I'm about to start eating bark from a tree I'm so famished."

Grumpy kept quiet as he tried to think of a way out of giving Emma the apple, but it was useless. He knew the queen had eyes everywhere and if he even tried to disobey her, he was as good as Siren food. Grabbing the fruit from his pouch, he stopped and held out the apple towards Emma.

"Here," Grumpy offered.

Emma grabbed the red fruit with a relieved grin. "Thank you, Grumpy! You're a lifesaver!"

"Hey, what about me?" Tiny asked as the smaller man turned and walked away. "Grumpy?"

Anton chased after the retreating dwarf, leaving Emma alone with the shiny red apple.

Sinking her teeth into the meaty flesh, she couldn't help the moan that escaped her throat as she swallowed the delicious piece of fruit. She went to take another bite, but her vision suddenly became cloudy and her body started to tilt sideways before she collapsed against a nearby tree and slid down into a crumbled heap.

"What the…what's happening?" Emma slurred out before her head lulled back, the apple rolling out of her grasp as her eyes closed and she slipped into unconsciousness.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Well folks, this is it; last chapter. Thank you for all the great reviews and messages, and for the follows and favs! **

* * *

_There's such a fooled heart_  
_ Beating so fast in search of new dreams_  
_ A love that will last within your heart_  
_ I'll place the moon within your heart_

_ As the pain sweeps through_  
_ Makes no sense for you_  
_ Every thrill has gone_  
_ Wasn't too much fun at all_  
_ But I'll be there for you_  
_ As the world falls down_

* * *

The masquerade party was in full swing when Emma entered through the grand doors to the hall. Beautiful masks decorated the faces of the room full of strangers as they danced and laughed all around her. She felt slightly out of place as one of the only people without a mask to disguise her, but that didn't seem to bother her as she hefted the bell of the gorgeous white gown she wore and proceeded to walk around the room. She didn't know who she was looking for, but she knew she was looking for someone. Her eyes scanned the crowd and she would perk up when she swore she found the person she was searching for, only to be disappointed when they would disappear into the mass of people.

Regina watched from her perch upon the center stairs as Emma combed the crowded room looking for her. She noted with a rueful smirk that the white ball gown and head full of golden curls gave the blonde the appearance of a princess, something she was sure Emma would never want to be told. As a matter of fact, Regina was positive Emma didn't even own a dress back home, but tonight the queen made sure to put her in one and she wasn't disappointed; Emma was gorgeous. As for her own attire, Regina was outfitted in an open front dress that half hid the leather pants and boots she adorned, which she topped off with a blue sequined jacket over a frilled white shirt. It made her feel feminine yet powerful, an image she strove to deliver, especially when seducing a beautiful woman.

The hairs on the back of Emma's neck stood on end and she knew the person she was looking for was watching her. Spinning around, brown met green from across the room as their eyes locked together in a heated gaze. Emma remained rooted in place as she watched Regina descend the stairs and approach her in careful strides until they stood a mere inch apart. The heels of Regina's boots gave her an edge over Emma, but not by much as they were almost eye to eye.

"Care to dance?" Regina asked in a husky tone and she smiled when the blonde offered a small nod in response.

The rest of the room and its occupants seemed to fade away as Emma felt the brunette snake her arm around her waist and pull her in close before they clasped their free hands together. Emma had never felt so content as they started to sway to the music, but something still niggled at the back of her mind that she was missing something. Russet eyes gazed upon her with such hunger and Emma blushed from their intensity, feeling as though Regina had just stripped her naked from what should've been a simple look.

They continued to dance for a while, but Emma couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. Her eyes started to dart around, looking everywhere but at the attractive woman in her arms, and that's when she noticed that everyone in the hall was staring at them, whispering to each other as they kept a wide berth for the two women on the dance floor. She felt too exposed and abruptly stopped dancing before she pulled away from the brunette.

"What's wrong?" Regina asked in concern.

"I have to go," Emma muttered as she started searching for an exit.

"Go where?" Regina prodded as she trailed behind the distressed blonde.

"I don't know, I…," Emma paused when she noticed a clock hanging on the wall. It hit her all at once where she was and why she was there. "Henry!"

Before Regina could say a word, Emma bolted for the doors on the far right and ripped them open. A swirling vortex greeted her on the other side, much like Jefferson's hat, and she took a deep breath before she jumped into it, falling through the spinning portal until she blacked out.

When she awoke, she noted that she was back in her normal clothes and lying on a couch in the center of what looked to be a huge library. Slowly sitting up, she realized her memory was starting to fade. Henry and the goblins, the queen and the hearts, a dance and a dress; all of it left her mind piece by piece until she sat there on the couch with a blank stare, unsure of who or where she should be.

"Oh goodness, I didn't see you there," a woman quipped as she made her way over to Emma's side. "My name is Belle. What's yours?"

"I, uh…I don't know," Emma answered before she furrowed her brow. "Where am I?"

"You're in my castle, inside my library. Perhaps you came for a book?"

Emma got to her feet and looked around at the thousands of volumes with a confused expression. "I think I was looking for something."

"Maybe I can help you out. Here, follow me," Belle indicated as she led the blonde over to a section of books.

Running her finger over the bindings of several titles, Belle stopped on one and pulled it out before she handed it to Emma.

"That's the story about Beauty and the Beast," she indicated with a grin. "It's my favorite story."

Emma started to leaf through the pages, but nothing seemed familiar about it.

"This is a good one too," Belle quipped as she handed over another book. "It's Alice in Wonderland."

"I don't, this isn't…"

"Oh, here's another great story! And don't forget this one!" Belle sang out as she kept piling books up into Emma's arms.

"I can't hold it much longer," Emma confessed and soon the growing pile of books fell to the floor, scattering across the ground in a chaotic mess.

Emma quirked an eyebrow at the other woman as she paid no mind to the incident, only adding to the clutter as she climbed a ladder and threw more books down onto the floor without a care in the world. Shaking her head, Emma gazed upon the scattered volumes before an open book a few feet away caught her attention. She quickly scrambled for it and flipped it over to read the title.

"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," she read out as she flipped back to the page that caught her attention. It was a woman dressed in a white and gold renaissance gown as she stood beside an older gentleman. "Regina."

"What was that, dearie?" Belle called down.

She ignored the book-crazed girl as she flipped through the pages and landed on another familiar face.

"Grumpy…Regina, Grumpy…the labyrinth!" she suddenly remembered as she tossed the book to the side. "I have to save my son!"

"Wait! You can't leave!" Belle shouted as she watched Emma run out of the library. "Come back here!"

Emma ignored the other woman as she bolted through the long and twisted hallways of the giant castle. Corner after corner she turned until she found the front doors and barreled through them. The gates to the Goblin City stood before her and she turned back to see if she was being chased, only to be stunned to see that the castle she just came from was gone.

"Emma!"

The blonde looked over and saw Anton and Grumpy making their way to her side.

"Thank God you're safe! We went back for you and you were gone," Tiny explained as he leaned over and patted her shoulder.

"Did you just see that castle I came from?" Emma questioned as she was still trying to catch her breath.

"What castle?" Tiny wondered as he looked around in confusion.

Emma chuckled. "Never mind."

Grumpy stood back a little ways as he worried his hat between his hands. Emma figured he felt guilty for the apple and knew in her heart that it wasn't his idea. She walked over to him and smiled before she lightly punched his shoulder.

"I know the queen made you do it and I forgive you," Emma offered. "Besides, her plan didn't work."

The dwarf looked up with wide eyes. "You forgive me?"

"Yeah, don't fret over it. Come on, we have a castle to storm."

Grumpy put his cap back on before he shouted, "What are we waiting for? Let's go get this rat who calls herself the queen."

Anton shoved open the massive doors protecting the city and the three quickly made their way inside.

* * *

Regina hummed softly while the tired infant mewed in her arms, his tiny hand finding purchase around her finger as he started to drift off.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"

Henry's face scrunched up at the intruding shouts before he started to wail at the top of his lungs. Regina narrowed her eyes at the meddlesome guard before she hissed, "You better have a good reason for storming in here and waking the prince."

"T-the g-girl," he stuttered out.

"What of her?"

"She escaped the sleeping curse and Belle! She's in the city and on her way to the castle as we speak!"

"What!" Regina roared in anger, causing Henry to scream louder. "Sound the alarm! Call out the guards! Stop her!"

* * *

"Is it just me or does it seem a little too quiet around here?" Emma questioned as they strolled through the abandoned city.

"Um, Emma," Tiny stated as he pointed ahead. "I think you spoke too soon."

The trio watched as an army of goblins poured out from the castle, armed with swords and shields at the ready as they headed right towards Emma, Grumpy, and Anton.

"Go Emma!" Grumpy ordered as he rolled up his sleeves. "We can handle this."

"What? Are you nuts?! I'm not leaving you two here alone to fight them!" Emma protested.

"Grumpy's right, you need to go. Now!" Tiny ordered.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, we're sure. Go and get that baby of yours," Grumpy said with a half-smile.

"Thank you, both of you. I couldn't have done this without you!" Emma praised as she sprinted into the alley on her right and disappeared.

Running came natural to Emma and she ducked and hid throughout the city streets, avoiding the searching goblins as if they were the cops that were sent after her for stealing. The nearby clock tower indicated that she only had ten minutes left and she hurried for the unprotected castle doors and entered.

Reaching the interior of the fortress, Emma quickly made her way from one room to the next, searching for the missing queen and her son, but they were nowhere to be found. She was starting to lose hope of ever finding them until she reached the queen's bedchamber and burst through the door, discovering Regina as she stood by the window with Henry clutched tightly to her chest.

"Give me my child," Emma demanded as she approached the other woman.

"Beware, Emma," Regina warned as she glared menacingly. "I have been generous up until now, but I can be cruel."

"Generous?" Emma scoffed as she stood before the brunette. "You've imprisoned the people of this world and you take out their hearts to control them. You steal my kid in the dead of night and bend the rules to your will. That doesn't sound generous to me."

"These people are here because of my mother! I had no hand in their fate," Regina snapped.

Emma softened her features a bit before she asked, "Can't you send them back?"

Regina released a forced chuckle. "As if that were even possible. My mother controls everything. The only way to send everyone back to the Enchanted Forest is to destroy this world, and that can only be obtained through true love's kiss; my true love's kiss to be precise, except there is no true love or happy endings in this kingdom. Therein lies the conundrum and why we remain stuck here for all of eternity."

Emma reached out and took her son from Regina's arms, leaving the blanket behind. She kissed his head and inhaled his baby scent before she released the breath she felt like she had been holding for the past thirteen hours.

"I'm sorry, Henry," Emma murmured softly.

"Please stay," Regina suddenly pleaded as she clutched the blue blanket tightly in her grasp. "Rule the kingdom with me and I will give you anything in return."

"I won and a deal's a deal, but you do owe me a wish," Emma indicated.

"Name it and it is yours."

"Not now, but someday I will call you for it."

Regina tried not to smile at the idea of hearing from Emma again in the future, but she frowned when she realized that it could be years before that ever occurred. Reaching out, the queen gently rubbed her hand over the downy softness of Henry's head before she pulled back and pointed to a floor-length mirror.

"Your way home is through there," Regina advised as she fought the tears that threatened to spill. "I only did as you asked, you know? You asked me to take him and I did."

Emma smiled at the brunette. "I know."

Regina watched on with a heavy heart as Emma walked through the mirror and disappeared before she allowed herself to crumble, dropping into a nearby chair and crying into the blanket that still held the baby boy's scent.

* * *

**_5 years later…_**

"Ruby! I'm heading home!" Emma yelled to the back kitchen as she removed her apron.

"Wait!" Ruby cried out as she ran into the dining area and handed Emma a small package. "I won't see you tomorrow for your birthday, so I'm giving this to you now."

"What is it?" Emma asked as she eyed the package.

"Open it."

Tearing off the colorful paper, Emma sucked in a sharp breath when she read the title of the small red book that she unveiled. "How is this even…where did you get this?"

Ruby shrugged before she offered, "Some used bookstore on West Street. It was just there among the shelves, sticking out like a neon sign. When I picked it up and thumbed through it, I couldn't believe how much it sounded like your dream. Crazy, huh?"

Emma laughed it off as she rubbed her finger over the title of the book. "Yeah, crazy. Thanks for this, Ruby."

Ruby gave her a quick hug before she winked. "Happy Birthday, doll. Now get going and give that cute son of yours a kiss from his Auntie Ruby."

"Will do," Emma offered before she left the diner to pick up Henry from the babysitter.

* * *

After dinner and a bath, Emma got Henry settled into his bed before she pulled the newly acquired red book out and showed it to him.

"Would you like me to read you a new story tonight?" Emma asked.

"What story is it, Mommy?"

"The Labyrinth," Emma answered as she handed the book over for her inquisitive son to explore.

Henry had a passion for stories and already showed intelligence beyond his age when it came to reading. As he paged through the book, Emma noticed that there were illustrations within the chapters and she couldn't help the small gasp that escaped her throat when Henry paused on a particular drawing of very familiar person.

"That's the sad lady," Henry indicated as he pointed to the picture. "She visits me in the mirror."

Emma was shocked by his words before she asked, "When does she visit you?"

The little boy tilted his head in thought before he answered, "At night. She's always got tears in her eyes…that's why I call her the sad lady. Are you gonna read it now?"

Emma was dumbfounded by her son's words. Regina had managed to find a way to keep in contact with Henry without Emma's knowledge. She wasn't sure if she was happy that Regina still managed to find a way to see Henry or upset that she never paid her a single visit in the past five years. There wasn't a single day that had passed without Emma's thoughts drifting to the Goblin Queen, wondering if things could've turned out differently.

"Mommy? Are you gonna read?"

Emma startled at her son's voice before she took the book into her hands and started to read the story she knew intimately well. Within minutes, Henry had fallen asleep but she kept reading, lost in the memories that the book had drudged back up and intrigued by what had occurred after Emma had left.

Regina had freed all of the prisoners from the underground and she ordered all of the hearts to be returned to the people they belonged to. The Siren of the river had put up a fight and a war broke out, but Regina had won in the end and Ariel was no more. Grumpy and Anton were given the task of returning the hearts to their rightful owners and the river dried up after every last beating organ was restored. Only Grumpy and Anton knew the reasoning behind the queen's change of heart and they became her most loyal subjects after she had proven her good intentions to them. The people in the kingdom were happy for the first time ever and they carried on as best as they could in a world they didn't belong in. Regina, on the other hand, was quite the opposite of her subjects as she became more depressed with each passing day.

The final illustration depicted Regina sitting in front of a tall mirror that displayed the image of five year old Henry sleeping in his room while she sobbed into a worn-out blue blanket. Emma's heart broke in two as a tear rolled down her cheek before she flipped to the next page, only to find it blank. She continued flipping, but all the pages were empty.

"No; it can't end there," Emma muttered before jumped from Henry's bed and ran into her own bedroom.

With a shaky breath, she approached her floor length mirror with the book still clutched in her hands.

"Regina?"

The mirror remained unchanged and the blonde huffed at her reflected appearance before she stated, "I want to use my wish. You owe me, Regina."

Emma jumped when the mirror's surface swirled before the brunette she had ached for appeared in front of her. Emma couldn't help but note the sadness in Regina's eyes and the startling fact that she hadn't aged a day since she last saw her.

"Are you immortal?"

Regina chuckled as she hadn't expected that to be Emma's first response. "I'm not immortal, just frozen in time."

"Oh," Emma responded before she said, "I'm here to cash in my wish that you owe me. Can you come through the mirror?"

"I'm trapped in this world, remember? You can come over here though," Regina indicated.

Emma seemed a little hesitant, afraid to leave her son behind in case she couldn't return right away.

"Henry will be fine. We can watch over him while you're here," Regina offered before she added, "You know you always had the ability to come and go as you please. All you had to do was ask."

Emma felt a rush of guilt wash over her for not making contact sooner, but there was nothing she could do about that now. With a tight smile, she placed the little red book on her dresser before she rested her hands against the looking glass and pushed through. She appeared on the other side of the mirror and the two women locked eyes as they stood intimately close.

"So, what is it that you wish for?" Regina asked.

"A kiss."

"Excuse me?"

"A kiss from you," Emma reiterated as she held the brunette's gaze.

"That is a waste of a wish," Regina muttered as she fought to keep the waiver out of her voice.

"I beg to differ," Emma countered. "Now, are you going to grant my wish or not?"

"Are you sure this is what you want?"

"As sure as the feelings that I know you feel for me," Emma answered brazenly before she grabbed the startled queen's face and kissed her.

The intensity of the kiss kept the women locked together as their arms found purchase around each others body's. Emma had never felt such an immediate attraction from a simple kiss and her assumption was proved correct when a magical shock wave burst out from their connected lips. The startled queen broke them apart as she gawked at Emma with a stunned expression.

"That was true love's kiss," Regina breathed out. "You broke the curse."

No sooner had the words left Regina's mouth that the two women suddenly gripped onto each other as the castle started to shake violently. They stumbled over to the window as they fought to stay erect before Regina and Emma looked out at the kingdom below. All the inhabitants were disappearing in flashes of magic, most likely returning to the Enchanted Forest as was part of the agreement if the curse was ever broken. A huge chunk of the ceiling landed next to them and the startled women jumped back before Emma started to tug frantically on Regina's arm.

"We have to leave now!" Emma shouted as she pulled the brunette over to the mirror.

"I can't leave!"

"Yes, you can. The curse is broken, Regina. It's time for you to come home…with me," Emma told her before she took the brunette's hand and led her through the floor length mirror.

The two women tumbled out into Emma's room and Regina looked around in shock.

"I'm free…I'm finally free," Regina realized before tears ran unfettered down her face. "You saved me."

"I'm sorry I didn't do it sooner."

Hands suddenly grabbed Emma's face before the brunette kissed her soundly on the lips. Emma pulled back with a cheesy grin and they turned to witness the last of the kingdom crumble away before the mirror returned to its normal reflective state.

"Mommy, I heard a loud noise and…," Henry paused in the doorway when he realized the sad lady was with his mother. His eyes lit up before he exclaimed, "You're here! For real?"

"For real," Regina answered before she caught the boy as he launched himself at her.

Emma watched the scene unfold with a rueful smirk before she questioned, "Just how often did you visit Henry at night?"

Regina blushed as she held Henry tightly against her before she answered, "Almost every night."

Emma chuckled with a shake of her head because she couldn't be mad. She knew she had fallen in love with the Goblin Queen, so it only made sense that Henry did as well.

"Would you like to help me tuck him back into bed?" Emma offered.

Regina's eyes lit up before she nodded. "I would like that very much."

"You're not the sad lady anymore, so what do I call you now?" Henry asked as Regina carried him over to his bedroom.

Regina looked to Emma for help and the blonde ruffled her son's hair before she said, "I think Mama would work. After all, she's here to stay with us forever."

Emma noted the tears that pricked Regina's eyes before they tucked the boy in and kissed him goodnight. Henry snuggled down into his covers and fell asleep as two women watched over him from the doorway, the blonde's arm securely around Regina's waist as she sighed in content.

Little did they know that back in Emma's bedroom, the book on top of her dresser flipped open to the blank pages before they started to rapidly fill with new images and words, depicting her rescue of the Goblin Queen. When it reached the final page, an illustration of their current scene with the two of them watching over their son covered the sheet before eight simple words scrawled out below it: _And they lived happily ever after...the end._


End file.
